BYD has revealed the Europe-bound version of its Atto 2 SUV, which features the OEM’s Blade Battery, Cell-to-Body (CTB) construction, and suite of smart cabin technologies. The Atto 2, upon launch, will complement the Chinese OEM’s Atto 3 SUV, which launched in Germany in October 2022 before reaching the UK in March 2023. BYD confirmed that a full launch of the Europe-spec Atto 2 is expected to commence in February 2025.
The new Atto 2 utilizes BYD’s 3-Platform 3.0 architecture, which is paired with a Blade Battery and CTB (for the first time in a compact BYD model). This construction process wholly integrates the battery into the vehicle chassis, with the top cover of the pack acting as the ‘floor’ for the passenger compartment. Through this installation, BYD says that its vehicles benefit from improved packaging and enhanced levels of body rigidity.
Atto 2’s use of the Blade Battery provides similar benefits in safety, durability, and performance. At the same time, with its cells installed directly as opposed to being fitted in multiple models, the battery maximizes space efficiency by allowing more cells to be fitted into the same area. The battery additionally utilizes lithium iron phosphate (LFP) as a cathode material, facilitating safety and durability while also eliminating the use of cobalt and nickel. LFP batteries, BYD says, are more resistant to adverse weather conditions, less sensitive to fluctuations in temperature and offer heightened energy efficiency with only a minimal reduction in battery capacity, enhancing their durability.
At launch, BYD customers will be offered a choice of two Blade Battery options. Here, the standard range edition will offer a 45.1-kWh capacity that enables an estimated range of 193 miles (312 kilometers), while its front-mounted motor can produce 174 hp (130 kW).
Following this initial launch, an edition of the Atto 2 with a larger battery will arrive in Europe, although full specifications on this model and further details on the Europe-bound EV’s standard equipment and range structure will be announced in the lead up to its full launch in February.
